Friday, April 26, 2013

It's really been a whole year, I can't even believe it! When I started this blog my intention as to blabber on (mostly to myself) about all the things that I love and to save my husband from these daily rants because let's just be honest here, guys don't care about pastel colored dresses, vintage Pyrex, or how to make pom pom garland. What started out as a personal quest to keep my sanity as a stay at home mom turned into an amazing and exciting journey which has lead me down paths I would never have traveled otherwise. I can not tell you all how much I have grown as a person this past year, this blog has made me comfortable in my own skin for the first time in my life. It's helped to realize who I am. I can not thank you all enough for being so supportive and loving, through the best times and the worst. We have laughed together, cried together, created friendships that are invaluable to me and I've loved every second of it. This community is so much like a family and I'm so proud to see how much all of us have grown together and separately. No matter how long this blog survives, no matter how many readers stick around to read my babbles, I will always remember those of you who have helped me, cheered me on, and made Gypsybeee what it is. It means the world to me. I hope that my love for blogging will never fade and the friendships made here will not either.

As I look back on the past year there are so many wonderful little bloggy moments that make me happy, so I'm here to share just a few of them with you today. Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

We are home again, hooray! Our vacation was full of fun and excitement, the kids really had a blast. We enjoyed many aquariums and even an indoor zoo. Marli loved the Mall of America the best and I don't blame her, who could resist a mall with an amusement park built right in?! I also managed to fit in a little yarn store haul so all in all it was a pretty great trip, here's a little taste of what we did in photographs!

1.// All packed and excited for our family road trip! 2.// Marli was blown away by the jelly fish, who could blame her? 3.// I got a little work done on my sunburst pillow case during the drive. 4.// An indoor zoo was a new experience for us, very cool! 5.// A red velvet cake for a special birthday man! 6.// Showing his age with a little knitting, this was a repost but it's my favorite picture of my hubby! 7.// Lady Gaga and Elton John preforming a duet on the piano. 8.// The kids first experience at the Rainforest Cafe! Marli loved it and Hunter as afraid of the "thunderstorms" 9.// Six inches of fresh snow means welcome to Minnesota!10.// Amazing new shoes and a pretty cool retro bathroom at Buca's family style Italian restaurant. 11.// Another aquarium adventure. 12&13.// A little taste of my yarn store purchases. 14.// Lego land was a blast for the kids, we could have stayed and built towers all day. 15.// If you are ever in the Apple Valley MN area make sure you take a trip to the Yarn Garage, the staff was so helpful and the selection was divine. 16.// Peep Land, also known as heaven!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

This week my inspirations come from bold shapes and bright shades! I love strong geometric patterns and bright colors of every kind so these pins have me weak in the knees. Be still my heart! There are so many ways to incorporate these basic ideas into your everyday life, here are some of my favorite ways to sport funky shapes and sunny shades!

STYLE// This Marc by Marc Jacobs bag has the perfect punch of pattern and color. This bag would be so fun dressed up or down!

BEAUTY// I love the amazing colors and geometric shapes of this nail art. Definitely fun for a night on the town manicure.

DECOR// The mixture of different bold patterns and tiny pops of color make this eclectic space cheery and fun.

CROCHET// I am in love with this granny square pattern, the colors chosen here are gorgeous. I'm working on two pillow cases using this pattern and they are just lovely so far.

SWEETS// These granny square sugar cookies are sure to be a hit for any crochet lovers birthday or an all ladies craft day. I need to take a whack at these! How adorable?!

Saturday, April 20, 2013

When I'm searching for new recipes on Pinterest I always look for food that is unique and interesting. I'm a self proclaimed foodie and trying new things is one of the best parts about cooking and baking. Sweet treats have a special place in my heart, so when I see a brand new take on a classic recipe I usually rush off to try it! Today I collected a few yummy recipes that take classics and add a twist. Enjoy!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Hey guys! I'm off to the Twin Cities for an extended weekend in celebration of my hubby's 25th birthday! This lovely lady is going to share a great post with you while I'm away! Erica from being erica will be sharing some lovely interior inspiration! Take it away, girlfriend!

hi guys! for those of you that
don't know me, my name is Erica and I blog over at Being Erica. I have
been reading Autumn's blog for ever, so was over the moon when she asked me to guest post while she's off on holiday... who's luckier?! me, obviously!

so,
at the moment, I live with my boyfriend in a two-bedroom flat in
suburban London. it's great! except.. we live with our 35 year old
landlady, who is a bit crazy. she's loud, messy and finicky about errthang.
it's... less than ideal. now, it hasn't always been this way! once upon
a time we were happily housed; she lived overseas and the flat was
clean, tidy and peaceful. but then she moved back. and ruined my life.

long
story short, we're moving out. boyfriend and I found a really great 1
bedroom flat, closer to the city and our friends, in a nicer area and a
branch of my favourite coffee shop across the street. all signs point to
yes! except... the flat comes unfurnished, and we don't own any
furniture.

but! this
means I get to go shopping! I will admit, I am somewhat of a regular
shopper, so it might make a nice change to buy some homewares instead of
more dresses that I don't need. problem: furniture costs lots of money!
solution: buy lots of second hand stuff from local flea markets or
charity shops! result: amazing, unique and individual pieces!

In
a bid to gain some inspiration, I turned to my good friend the
internet, and then got sucked into a world of vintage and retro
homewares on polyvore. then I made too many furniture sets. below you
will find what I decided my new bedroom is going to look like. I hope
boyfriend doesn't read this post, because I'm very sure this is not what
he had in mind. pastels and florals rule my world, and that bed (Ikea -
so cheap!) is fit for a princess! this room is reminiscent of an
English country cottage, pristine and pretty, and I just adore it. and I
want it all... sigh, maybe one day.

this next set came about when I was scouting a retro Smeg fridge. I had no idea that
you could get them in pastel colours! now, although the new flat does
come with a fridge and stove, the fact that I can mix and match them in
any colour I like.. well that's an irresistible thought! I absolutely
adore that aqua sofa, and the cushion! oh, the colours in that room
would be 100 times brighter, because while I need serenity in my
sleeping room, I need to lounge in colour and comfort. and doesn't that
room scream comfort?! well, it certainly screams.

I
stopped there, because I was getting light headed and needed a Diet
Coke. perhaps I will wait now until we move into the new flat before I
start window shopping again, it's taking over all my spare thoughts (and
most of my working day).

thanks
again to Autumn for letting me share my nonsense here today, and if you
fancy stopping by Being Erica, please do! I'd love to hear what you
think of my budding interior design career... Erica x

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

I'm a cardigan addict, I admit. I wear a cardigan or sweater pretty much everyday and sometimes my favorites just get boring and old. My favorite way to fix this problem and jazz up my cardigans is to add fun and kitsch-y brooches and pins. I am obsessed with vintage flower enamel pins especially, all of the colors and styles make me so happy and keep me festive for the spring. Sometimes these cuties can get pretty pricey so if you're ever on a thrift run and you stumble upon some at a great price you better grab them up! Here are some of my favorite blooms straight from Etsy!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

The family and I are preparing for a road trip! How exciting?! We are heading up to Minnesota for an extended weekend vacation and I'm so excited to get some relaxing family time in! Of course, a road trip means a lot of time sitting with absolutely nothing to do but jam to some tunes and crochet my little heart out. I've been preparing my yarn bag for the trip more thoroughly than my wardrobe, it's so hard to only commit to a few projects! I've finally settled on my choices, I hope they keep me occupied!

I'm bringing along a few different balls of yarn, two for knitting and two for crochet projects. I've got a few more in my travel stash but I'm most excited about the future of these balls right here. I made sure to bring a long my basic project essentials; scissors, stitch markers, needles, hooks, and packed my glasses because I'm really having a hard time with my vision. I made sure that I brought my new sketch book just in case anything inspires me to do a little doodling and of course multiple cameras for capturing every special moment.

And yes, that is last springs Vogue, I only reread the Lady Gaga issues about a thousand times.

What are some of your road trip essentials? Do you like to crochet or craft on the go?

Friday, April 12, 2013

It's been so much fun this past week with the kiddos. Hunter discovered that he can blow kisses and give high fives, so he has been extra cute by showing off all of his new tricks. I love this age, they discover so much at once and everything they do is adorable even when it's bad. Marli has been working extra hard trying to write her name without having to trace or ask for help. Boy, oh boy is teaching a lefty different! We like the challenge though and Marli thinks she is extra special because she's the only lefty in the hive.

The weather was beautiful in the beginning of the week so of course we started planting again and grilled burgers and hot dogs. We also made a flea market trip, the first one this year! How exciting?! The great weather didn't last too long though, we have been dealing with severe storms and it's chilly once again.

How's life in your neck of the woods?

1.// Marli being a little super model, she does that a lot. 2.// Getting caught up on lesson plans, man was I behind. I am so unorganized sometimes! 3.// King Hunter! 4.// Modeling Hunter's fox hat in progress. 5.// Veggie garden in the works. 6.// Water colors and tea, what better way to spend a rainy day? 7.// My adorable new macaron stitch markers from Bead Passion! I'm in love with this Etsy shop! 8.// My incredibly lovely flea market haul. 9.// Hunter making his "sweet" face! 10.// A little peak at the cover of my new sketch journal, I had so much fun painting this. 11.// Elephant snuggles! 12.// I love these two sweet little things.